Daniel Bryan Will Prove to Be One of the Best WWE Champions of All Time

Is he too small? Does he have the ability to be a moneymaker? Can he sell merchandise like a John Cena or a Hulk Hogan? The WWE Universe does not fully know yet. But in his speech on Raw Monday night, Daniel Bryan made it clear that he wants to be recognized like those wrestlers and the other greats of the wrestling world.

And even with his smallish stature, there is one thing Bryan has more of then all or almost all of the WWE roster: heart and soul.

He is exactly what the WWE needs right now.

More than a John Cena. More than a CM Punk. Even more than a Rob Van Dam.

While there may be detractors or people in the know who may doubt his abilities as a lead dog in the company or the business, the "American Dragon" has proven his ability as a champion.

And I for one want to see him beat John Cena and become the WWE Champion.

We all know about the WWE's plans for Bryan and an eventual title run and battle with John Cena, as first reported on F4WOnline.com and again reported on sescoops.com.

If anyone ever doubted what Bryan can do as a world champion over the long haul, I have two words for you. No, they are not what you think.

How about, "Ric Flair"?

Back in the day, the NWA was a governing body of promoters (nine in total) that decided who would be the organization's champion and tour the states and the world defending the title night in and night out. It was once said (as written in the book, To Be the Man) that Ric Flair was too small and not an accomplished enough wrestler to be a world champion.

Harley Race, Jack Brisco and Dory Funk Jr., in the eyes of the governing board, were far “better” at their craft than the “Nature Boy.”

Also, the governors had their favorites to pitch for a champion. Dusty Rhodes in Florida. David Von Erich in Texas. Harley Race in Missouri. You get the idea. Not everyone was sold on Flair being the “company’s” champion.

Boy, were they wrong.

In the past, it was Vince McMahon who wanted the big, powerful, hulking champion to be the leader of the company. While it has worked for him before, there have been times when it hasn't. Remember, this is the guy who thought Ultimate Warrior was the “next big thing” and could draw money and merchandise like Hulk Hogan. The upshot of the comment is Vince McMahon can be wrong at times.

Now, McMahon needs to give the diminutive Bryan a chance to take the title and run with it.

Bryan isn’t flashy like Shawn Michaels. He isn’t huge like Sheamus and certainly not the marketing machine Ric Flair or Hulk Hogan was. But he is the best talent this company has right now. Better than Dolph Ziggler, better than CM Punk and better than any member of The Shield.

And with his sudden “about-face” concerning his relationship with Kane, he could be the most in-depth character the company has.

Bravo for finding someone who is complex and hard to follow at times. Maybe the indie wrestlers who come to the “big show” are more equipped for greater things because they have met each other before, become cult heroes and have already developed their own personas.

You did not see that when a Barry Windham or a Steve Keirn made the jump to the WWF.

While Windham was as talented as any wrestler in the business, he never had the depth of a CM Punk or Bryan, for that matter.

The WWE will be better off when Bryan becomes champion.

Will Bryan have the chemistry with Cena that he did with CM Punk last year in their series of matches? Doubtful. But the idea of the muscle-bound Cena competing with a "Rabid-Wolverine" type of wrestler is a stark contrast to the matches we have seen him in lately.

Bravo, WWE, for giving Bryan the push he deserves.

Bryan is too talented to not be a champion.

The WWE Universe appears ready for him to take the strap from Cena by way of Money in the Bank. This could be a turning point in WWE history, much like Hulk Hogan passing the torch to the Ultimate Warrior. Only this time, Bryan will be more successful in acceptance of the title more so than Warrior was in replacing a legend.